From Ages Past
by SlytherinGirl92
Summary: While Ron starts his Auror Training at the Ministry, Harry and Hermione return to Hogwarts to complete their final year. However, after the war, things have changed...people have changed. Some friendships are made, some are lost, and a few legends turn out to be truth. What if all you thought you knew about a person turned out to be false? Post DH, not epilogue compliant.
**Author's Note:** Hey there gals and dolls! It's been a real long time, hasn't it? Now, now, I know what you're thinking. I bet you're asking, "Haven't I read this? Why isn't there a new chapter instead? Why did she delete the old one?" Well, folks, here it is. I realized well over a year ago, that this story had taken a turn that I had not wanted, and I needed to do something about it. That being said, at the time, I was fully involved in several other work projects that did not allow me to make these changes. Now, I have time. :)

So, what does that mean for the story below? Well, there are going to be some changes: some big, some small. Some, you may not even notice if you are returning reader. That being said, in order for some of these big changes to happen, I am in the need of some assistance. There are certain circumstances in this story that I would really like to feel as authentic as possible. One these circumstances is a relationship between two men. To be clear, I'm not looking to get graphic. (If I wanted to do that, you wouldn't be reading this on this particular website, now would you?) I just want their relationship to begin and continue as realistic way. If you would like to help on this front, please send me a private message. Thank you!

Special thanks goes to the lovely Lady Norbert, who edited this chapter. :) She's a wonderful lady, and if you love Beetlejuice as much as I do, you need to check out her fic "Cinderjuice." The link to that fic, as well as its sequel and now third installment can be found on her profile here on FF!

I do not own Harry Potter, or anything else having to do with Harry Potter. We have JK Rowling to thank for that.

Anywho, thank you for your patience, and enjoy the now rewritten first chapter of **From Ages Past**!

 **Chapter 1: Building Up the Castle**

Everything they had once known was now in shambles: the towers, the grounds, the Quidditch Pitch. In the courtyards lay mounds of rubble. A vital part of their lives had been torn apart. This was where they cast their first charms, and brewed their first potions. It was home to the fondest of memories, where they made their finest friends. And in that darkest hour, when the students had been in danger, Hogwarts had been there to protect them from the evils that lay beyond her walls. For many, the castle had been their home when they clearly had no other. Now, Hogwarts was in distress, and it was the students' turn to aid the castle that had kept them safe for generations. The war was over, and it was time to rebuild and start anew.

Witches and Wizards from all corners of the globe arrived to help rebuild the very school which saved the entire Wizarding World. Kingsley Shacklebolt, the new Minister of Magic, wanted the school to be back in business as soon as possible. He had sent word out to other magic schools and Ministries all over the world, asking for their aid in this process. Madame Maxime and her Beauxbatons students, in their elegant flying carriage, were among the first to arrive; once again, the ship of the Durmstrang school appeared in the Hogwarts lake, bringing offers of friendship and support despite their rumored affiliation with the Dark Arts. Viktor Krum led his classmates back to where they had competed for the Triwizard Cup, lending their strength to the efforts.

The Weasleys were the first people to really begin the restoration. This ginger haired troupe was always ready to help those who needed it. Bill and Fleur, despite her pregnancy, had arrived with Molly and Arthur on the very first day of the rebuilding. Charlie had brought a gaggle of his dragon keeper coworkers with him to help with any heavy lifting. Even George, who was still mourning the loss of his twin brother, showed up to help rebuild the very school in which he and Fred had caused so much trouble. It was his firm belief that Fred would want to see the castle restored to its former glory, so that some other pair of mischief makers could cause just as much trouble as they had in their youth. Percy also joined them, when he could; the bulk of his energy was spent helping to rebuild the Ministry, under the new Shacklebolt administration, but it was understood that he wanted to be with his family whenever possible and no one blamed him for it. Ginny, though her heart was with the Golden Trio at every moment, turned her attention toward assisting Neville and Professor Sprout in the greenhouses. It was Ron who was at Harry's side, along with Hermione, just like they always had been.

Many other students had returned as well. The place had been their home, after all. Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan were hard at work on the reconstruction of the Quidditch Pitch, under the fierce supervision of Madame Hooch. Luna Lovegood could be found in the kitchens, helping the house elves sort through the ruins. Various other Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws from the Trio's year had arrived almost immediately when the announcement of reconstruction had been made, including Hannah Abbott, Terry Boot, and Ernie MacMillan. Even Cho Chang, who had spent a few weeks in one of the wards at St. Mungo's for treatment of panic and anxiety attacks, was seen levitating a few damaged paintings through the halls. Only one Slytherin had made an appearance thus far, Blaise Zabini, who was helping Madame Pince repair the damage to the library. No one dared bother him, for they feared what Madame Pince might do should they interrupt.

If one was to walk through the damaged corridors of Hogwarts, it would seem as if the whole Wizarding World had come to its rescue.

The sight was almost unbearable for many of the students. Each and every House had suffered extensive damage, becoming mere shadows of their former selves. Hufflepuff looked as if a tornado had ripped through the place, leaving a large hole in the side of the Common Room. Ravenclaw's beautiful glass ceiling had been shattered, and its rooms seemed to have suffered tremendous scorching, as if by an unchecked fire. Gryffindor was the worst; the entire tower was demolished, leaving only the Fat Lady's portrait and the bare bones of the Common Room staring up at the sky where the sleeping quarters had once been. It was yet unknown what had happened in the Slytherin dormitory, as no one had yet mustered the courage to investigate. Perhaps the Death Eaters, many of whom had come from that house, had left it relatively untouched. The war was over, but fear lingered in the hearts of the magical community. They had lived in fear so long, they almost didn't know how to live without it.

Now, Ron and Hermione stood in front of Professor McGonagall's desk in Dumbledore's office. Well, technically, it was no longer Dumbledore's office, since Professor McGonagall had been elected Headmistress, but it was hard call it anything but. It was over a year since his death, but the wound was still fresh in their hearts. After Professor McGonagall had finished what appeared to be some paperwork on her desk, she looked up at the two of them, smiling gently. Under ordinary circumstances, such a smile from her would mean that someone was in trouble. This time, however, it was most sincere.

"Now that nearly everyone has found a suitable task within the restoration project," she said, folding her hands on the desk, saying. "I have a special job for each of you."

Ron and Hermione exchanged curious glances, wondering just what sort of tasks the new Headmistress would be assigning them. Before either of them could ask any questions, Professor McGonagall addressed herself to Ron.

"You, Mr. Weasley, will assist Hagrid in his inspection of the Forbidden Forest. We do not know how much damage Voldemort and the Death Eaters caused to the forest and its inhabitants. Scouting the outskirts will at least give us an idea of where we need to start. If Hagrid deems it necessary to proceed further, then do so. I trust that you will have no problem with this?"

Ron wasn't exactly happy about the task he had been given. Naturally, he was relieved that he would be working with Hagrid, but ever since he and Harry's run in with a nest of Acromantulas in their Second Year, Ron hadn't been too keen on wandering into the forest. Also, he wasn't about to tell the Headmistress about all that, now was he?

"Ms. Granger, as you already know, all of the password enchantments on each of the Hogwarts Houses have been removed since the end of the battle. This is to speed up the rebuilding process, so we can get this school back up and running for next term," she began, taking a moment to clear her throat. "As you also may know, not a single student or member of faculty has ventured down into the dungeons to inspect the Slytherin dormitories. I would—oh, what is the phrase...? Ah! I would 'owe you big time' if you could do this for me."

Hermione bit her lip, faltering for a moment, but then nodded, agreeing to her task. However, it seemed as if Ron had other ideas.

"Professor, we don't even know what is down there," he began, his agitation becoming increasingly obvious. "They very well could have cursed the place, or set up some kind of trap for us! Besides, why does Hermione have to go down there? Zabini's here, isn't he? Why not send him to inspect it? It's his House."

Ron's glare was met with a raised brow from Professor McGonagall. Her disapproval ran deep; on the one hand, she could appreciate that he wanted to protect his dear friend, but more heavily on the other, she would have thought someone who had experienced so many of the terrible aspects of war could understand what was at stake. Had he not matured, even through all that bloodshed?

"That is a rather incredulous accusation, Mr. Weasley," Professor McGonagall sighed, shaking her head a bit. "Yes, it is true that we clearly have no idea of what awaits us in the dungeons, whether it be set with a trap, cursed, or just as damaged as the other dormitories, and that is precisely why I am sending Ms. Granger to inspect it. She is the brightest witch of her age, and perfectly capable of handling this job on her own."

Ron huffed. It wasn't that he didn't think Hermione was perfectly capable of handling herself, because she was. No, he was still a mite protective, considering all that happened, and perhaps a bit on the controlling side, as he always had been. It also didn't help that he was not a big fan of Slytherin House. One might say he was even a bit prejudiced against them.

"As for Mr. Zabini, he is very busy the Library with Madame Pince," the headmistress continued. "The place is trashed and a monstrous portion of the books have been destroyed beyond repair. A lot of these books are irreplaceable and need to be cataloged. Mr. Zabini, being the loner sort, is suited for assisting Madame Pince, as he will not argue with what is to be done, unlike some people here. Ah, but since you are so damn worried about Ms. Granger's safety, I will allow you to accompany her to the dungeons, but no further. It is on your way to Hagrid's, after all, and he does expect you to be on time. Have I made myself perfectly clear, Mr. Weasley?"

She raised an eyebrow at Ron, whose brow furrowed as he nodded in compliance. He was clearly unhappy about the arrangement.

"Ah...where is Mr. Potter?" Professor McGonagall asked, glancing at the clock.

Hermione blinked, realizing that Harry had told her to inform Professor McGonagall of his location. Hermione replied, "Harry is at an...appointment, Professor."

"Oh, yes, I remember him mentioning that to me the other day. He's seeing a Mind Healer, correct?"

"Healer Valchrom, Professor."

"Good. Melissa has been around for quite some time and is especially adept with cases like Potter's. With all he endured, it's no surprise that his mind would have suffered greatly. How has he been?"

Hermione and Ron exchanged looks here, causing Professor McGonagall to raise an eyebrow.

"Well, to be entirely truthful, Professor," Hermione began. "We didn't even know he was seeing a Healer until a week ago, but as far as I can tell, his nightmares have become less frequent. He seems a bit more amicable, but he's still very...withdrawn. We've tried to talk to him about it, but he just—He doesn't want to say a single word about it to us."

"I don't understand why seeing a Psychiatric Healer would help, when he could just talk to us, his friends," Ron muttered. "We know him better—"

"The war was really difficult on him, you should know that better than anyone else." The Headmistress' words were quick as she interrupted Ron. "Also, it may help him to talk to one who knows nothing about him personally, so he can be given an unbiased opinion of what is going through his mind. I know it is hard to believe that he didn't want to talk to the both of you about this, but...I do not tell many this, but Albus exhibited much of the same behavior after his duel with Grindelwald. He also went to see a Mind Healer. Take that into consideration. This is no strange thing"

Hermione's eyes widened. It was hard believe and understand, but whatever Harry had to do to get back to normal was fine with her. She just wanted her best friend back. The tragedies of the war had wounded his mind greatly, and the fame he received from his victory against Voldemort had made him distant. Ron just stood there, blinking in surprise. The both of them wondered if Harry would ever go back to being the Harry they knew. It was all a mystery.

"Now, the two of you best be off. If you see Potter before I do, please send him to my office. I'd like to discuss a few things with him," the Headmistress finally concluded, sending the two of them away. They had much to do.

Some time later, Hermione was standing at the top of the spiral staircase which lead down into the dungeons of Hogwarts. Ron had accompanied her to this point, and that was as far as he had been allowed. The both of them gulped as they peered down the darkened stairs

"Good luck," Ron muttered after a beat, bidding Hermione farewell as she began to descend the stairs alone, wondering what she would discover in the inky blackness below.

The deeper she descended, the more loudly she could hear the sound of water drip, drip, dripping onto stone. She muttered an incantation and lit the tip of her wand, peering through the barely-illuminated darkness. As she reached the bottom of the staircase, she immediately stepped in a puddle, and the light of her wand revealed several more. Why? Granted, the dungeons were always damp, but this was something else. Warily, she pulled on the handle of the Potions classroom and slowly opened the door, greeted at once by a rush of water tumbling around her feet. Somewhat alarmed, she stepped into the room proper and was greeted by the sight of carnage – overturned cauldrons, soggy ingredients, flipped desks, shattered beakers. Professors Snape and Slughorn alike would have been appalled by the condition of the classroom. Had it flooded? Was it the lake? She wondered if the dormitories had suffered a similar fate, or if they had been spared by the fact that the password charm had still been in place during the battle.

Hermione closed the door and began heading deeper into the dungeons. Eventually, she arrived in a chamber that was normally a dead end. Now, there was a large, iron-wrought door on the back wall. Hermione smiled, recalling her second year at Hogwarts. She, Harry and Ron had sought entry to the Slytherin dormitories in order to find out if Draco Malfoy was the Heir of Slytherin. With some Polyjuice Potion, Harry and Ron turned into Crabbe and Goyle, while she had meant to turn into Millicent Bulstrode. However, Hermione didn't even get to go with her two friends, as she had turned into a humanoid feline instead. It had been her fault, for the hair she had used was that of a cat's and not Millicent Bulstrode's. Hermione had inspected ingredients to potions much more thoroughly from that day forward. Ron and Harry had told her what they had seen. She learned the location only, as Harry and Ron had claimed they hadn't had much time to look around; they were too focused on Malfoy. She wished they had been able to get a better look at the place. It would be useful now. With that information, she could more properly ascertain the damage, were there any at all.

Hermione gazed at the large set of doors, sighing. In normal circumstances, these doors would be hidden and a password would be given to the guardian who was in charge of hiding them. She didn't know who or what that guardian had been, as it wasn't here now. It certainly couldn't be a portrait. Perhaps it was a tapestry or some sort of statue? It didn't matter at this moment, but that did nothing to quench her curiosity. Hermione shone the light of her wand at the doors, thoroughly examining them for any sign of damage. The design on the doors were those of pythons, carved into the iron. The silver handles too were snakes and looked like a pair of silver vipers. The Slytherin house seemed nothing if not proud of their mascot. She stepped forward, and reached out, pulling on the door handles. The doors didn't budge, causing her to frown; they were not supposed to be locked.

"Alohomora," she murmured, as she pointed her wand at the doors.

The handles glowed for a moment; if the doors had been locked, they would be so no longer. Yet when she tried them again, they still would not yield. This time, however, the effort was accompanied by an odd creaking sound, something akin to a ship at sea. She forced herself to ignore the noise and focused on her objective of entering the dorms. Tongue between her teeth, she rubbed her hands together and gave one final effort, pulling forcibly on the handles. To her surprise, the doors burst open, and a torrent of water flew out at her with all the force of a cannonball. She was flung to the ground like a rag doll, her wand knocked from her fingers, the seemingly endless flow of water dragging her against the back wall and filling the corridor. She tried to scream and was terrified to find she had no air; she was going to drown.

Just when she thought all was lost, Hermione heard someone yell a spell over the rush of water, the voice unrecognizable to her ears at this moment.

 **"Protego Totalum!"**

A massive magical shield appeared around her, lighting up the room and causing the water to pass around her and the spell's caster. In absolute shock, all Hermione could do was stare as the water rushed by her, even though she was no longer in any danger. As soon as the water died down to a trickle, the shield dissipated, but the room still glowed by the light of someone's wand. Whoever had saved her was still here and standing right by her. Looking to one side, she caught sight of her wand a few feet away, safely wedged into the nook of a statue. Instinctively, Hermione rolled through the few inches of water, snatching the wand and getting to her feet. She lit the tip once more and, smoothly and swiftly, brought it to the face of her savior. She gasped, taking a step backwards, her eyes growing wide with shock as she registered the identity of the one who had saved her life.

It was Draco Malfoy.

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